Heinrich Konietzny

Heinrich Josef Konietzny (born 7 May 1910 in Gliwice; died 23 April 1983 in Saarbrücken-Dudweiler) was a German musician, professor and composer.

Nine years old, he became student of the Konvikt of Bad Ziegenhals, where he chanted in a choir and received his first systematic education in music theory.

The documentary motion picture "Neue Musik" (Contemporary Music), directed by Manfred Heikaus and produced by the Saarländischer Rundfunk in the 60's gives insight in the creative work of the composer.

From 1936 to 1939 he held a permanent position as solo bassoon player in the radio orchestra of the Reichssender Saarbrücken (today: Saarländischer Rundfunk).

Beginning in the year 1930 he studied composition in the class of Paul Hindemith at the University of Music Berlin, Germany.

His work is differentiated and has been performed in a multitude of countries: Six symphonies, one percussion symphony, several string quartets, 25 concertos, chamber music for a great variety of instruments – often in quite unusual combinations (e.g. voice and percussion), several pieces of ballet music, more than 300 scores for movies and radio plays and about 200 songs and cantatas.

Beside of that, he composed numerous works for amateur musicians: pieces for accordion, woodwind and brass instruments and about 40 compositions for plucked strings.

Konietzny's works have been published by the following (mostly German) companies: Bärenreiter, Boosy&Hawkes, Edition Modern, Gering, Junne, Köbl, Piwa&Wolf, Sandvoss, Simrock, Schott, Trekel, Vogt&Fritz, Wunn, Zimmermann.